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Monday, 4 January 2016

glowing lentil soup.

Look at it glow! Ok, it's not actually glowing. It's not radioactive or made with whatever is in glowsticks - that tastes disgusting, fyi - no, the amazing bit of beetroot is what gives this soup its almighty vibrance. And it should make you feel healthy and glowing too!

I'm sure you're all sick to the back teeth of people banging on about healthy eating and all that New Year stuff... but I'm sharing this recipe despite you, because I made it today and I'm really excited about it. So there.

It was quite laborious making this, but that might have been because I cooked the wrong lentils the first time around, and I was changing and adding things. You could always bake the butternut squash & beetroot in advance, and then it would only take about half an hour, if that.

Also, this recipe makes LOADS. I will be eating this all week for lunch. Please come and help.

Scroll past all the pretty veggies to find out how to make this soup packed full of all the good stuff.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 butternut squash

• 2 decent sized beetroots + leaves

• 7 cloves of garlic

• 1 red onion

• 1 tsp fresh chopped ginger

• a few sprigs of fresh thyme

• 1 tsp ground tumeric

• 4 tsp chilli powder (or to your personal taste)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 150g red lentils

• 1 veg stock cube in 800ml hot water

• 1 can of (low fat) coconut milk

• 1 red chilli

• 2 limes

• salt & pepper

METHOD

• Preheat your oven to 180ºC

• Trim your beets of their leaves and straggly roots, give them a scrub & wrap them in a tin foil cocoon.

• Roughly chop the butternut squash and place on a baking tray with 6 garlic cloves (skin on) and the beetroot/foil parcels.

• Roast in the oven until the flesh is tender - about 30min for the squash, 45min-1hr for the beetroot. Leave to cool.

• Chop the onion, remaining garlic clove & ginger and add to a large pan with thyme, spices & 2cm of water. Cook until soft. Remove the thyme.

• In a saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to the boil & add the lentils. Pierce the chilli and pop it in there too. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir frequently!

• Remove any skin from the roasted squash & garlic, and add to the onion mixture along with the beetroot - chop this up roughly.

• Add the coconut milk, and blend until smooth.

• Add the lentils & stock, and chopped up beetroot stalks and leaves. Mix thoroughly, season to taste and heat through.

• Serve with a wedge of lime.

Oh my. Not only does it look amazing (I do love food which looks good!) but it tastes delicious too. The squash and the beetroot give it a lovely sweet hit, while the spices and coconut milk give it curry vibes - and it damn well could be a curry, depending on how thick you decide to make it!